Short Stories

QWERTY by Vivien Alcock

SYNOPSIS

The story QWERTY tells of how an underestimated secretary fights with an ex-secretary who still thinks that she works there and haunts the typewriter. Lucy Beck is as strong willed as Miss Broome, the ex-secretary, to hold on to the job for Ross and Bannister’s. Miss Broom haunts the typewriter and frightens anyone who uses it with the word QWERTYUIOP and others. Lucy manages to overcome the problem and sends Miss Broome away with a new task which is to help the late Mr Bannister up there.

THEMES

Determination

Letting go

Strong will

MORAL VALUES

If we want something, we must work to make it a reality.

We must know when to let go of something if it is not ours anymore.

CHARACTERS

Main character : Lucy Beck

Minor characters :

Harry Darke

Miss Broome

Lucy’s mother and uncle, Uncle Bert

Miss Price and Mr Ross

PLOT

EXPOSITION – Lucy starts working in Ross and Bannister’s as a secretary. Harry Darke gives her hints of the haunting of the typewriter by Miss Broome but she does not realise it at first.

CONFLICT – Lucy types her letter but she isconfused that her letter has words that are not typed by her.

CLIMAX – Lucy retypes her letter but is challenged by Miss Broome who asks her to leave and even threatens her. Lucy fights with it by using correcting liquid to clean off words typed by Miss Broome.

FALLING ACTION – Lucy learns about Miss Broome and her haunting of the typewriter. She knows how Uncle Bert would have felt.

RESOLUTION – Lucy types and talks to Miss Broome and convinces her to leave this world peacefully and go to other world. Lucy manages to keep her job in Ross and Bannister’s.

THE FRUITCAKE SPECIAL by Frank Brennan

SYNOPSIS

The Fruitcake Special is the story if the effects of a perfume on men. It was accidentally created by Anna, a chemist who woks at New Jersey. When Mr Amos senses the perfume worn by Anna, he feels he is in love with Anna and so invites her out for dinner. He does not behave like a man in love and Anna is surprised and upset. When she dabs the Fruitcake perfume again, Mr Amos and a waiter become attracted to her and both make declarations of love to her. The situation becomes chaotic when a fight ensues between two men. Anna leaves the restaurant and the factory and ends up with Armstrong, the pizza boy.

THEMES

Illusion vs Reality

Be realistic in life

Appearances can be misleading

MORAL VALUES

We should not fall for physical appearance.

We must not be too proud of our looks.

We must not look down at other people.

PLOT

EXPOSITION – Anna accidentally creates a Fruitcake perfume and dabs on it. Mr Amos becomes attracted to her when he gets near her. Anna is very surprise with this sudden interest.

CONFLICT – During dinner, Mr Amos does not show his interest as he was in the morning. Anna dabs on the Fruitcake perfume in the ladies room.

CLIMAX – Mr Amos suddenly becomes interested in Anna and makes declarations of love to her. A waiter also does silly things to attract Anna’s attention.. A fight starts between Mr Amos, the waiter and Sabrina, Mr Amos’ girlfriend. Anna realises it is the effects of the fruitcake perfume.

FALLING ACTION – Anna wants to find the ‘special something’ in the fruitcake but is unable to as the woman who sold the fruitcake has already dead.

RESOLUTION – Anna quits her job from Amos Cosmetics and she settles for the pizza delivery man, Armstrong, who has his own pizza company.

raudhatulaliyah Said:

Faizal Said:

Dear Teacher,
Have contacted u through docstoc sometime earlier. But did not get any reply.
I could not download the notes you uploaded at docstoc as I dont own a credit card (or may be I just dont know how). However, I am interested in having the notes / slides you prepared and I dont mind paying you.
I can be contacted at afaizalmohamad@yahoo.com